Marketing Careers

Whether the economy is in ‘boom’ time or in recession or when the ‘green shoots’ of recovery are beginning to show, Marketing continues to be one of the most important business activities and therefore, a sound career choice for anyone who is prepared to make the commitment and work hard.

If anything, marketing gains in value in difficult times because with demand falling, the challenge is on to find new markets and additional customers for the products or services created by the business. It is only by intelligent marketing supported by an able sales force that businesses can move the surplus of manufactured stock or, in the service industries, take up the excess supply capacity.
Careers in marketing are highly sought after as individuals are normally rewarded according to ability rather than age. One way to ensure you stay ahead of the pack is to become professionally qualified. More and more companies are insisting on good professional qualifications for members of their workforce because they provide a recognised standard of assurance that they are employing people with the necessary skills.

Many new entrants are graduates, often with business or related degrees, although personal qualities such as interpersonal and communications skills and the ability to work in a team are just as essential. Other vital skills for future marketers include management and information technology as well as financial and analytical skills.

Often business graduates face a familiar dilemma. Time and again you hear of applicants being told: “Come back when you’ve got more experience.” From the stage to the City, the difficulty is the same - how do you get experience without that crucial first job? A growing number of specialist undergraduate degrees are focussing on marketing but employers still report a shortage of graduates with hands-on marketing experience and associated skills. Communication and interpersonal skills, budget management and the ability to listen and negotiate evolve as much from hands-on experience as through academic learning.

A graduate who has worked on the University newspaper, or has run a campaign for a student society will have practical experience of meeting deadlines and managing budgets. Graduates should think of joining or setting up a Student Chapter that promotes the discipline of Marketing to fellow students under the auspices of the local CIM branch and a designated budget.

Many graduates go on to study The Chartered Institute of Marketing’s professional qualifications in marketing at both Certificate, Advanced Certificate and Post-Graduate diploma level.

In 1998 the Chartered Institute of Marketing was granted the right to award Individual Chartered status to eligible members, raising marketing to the status of other chartered professions, such as accountancy and surveying. Working towards becoming a ‘Chartered Marketer’ demands a mixture of qualifications and experience, as well as a commitment to continually updating your professional skills.

Individual Chartered Marketer status can potentially benefit everyone working in the marketing profession. For young people in particular, who are either considering marketing as a profession, or who have just begun their career, it provides a level of professional status they can aspire to. These days, personal development and professional progression is about much more than studying for exams. Chartered Marketer provides a stamp of approval for all the training and development that young marketers are doing. It’s a real and tangible goal to work towards.

There are no magic wands, and being a Chartered Marketer won't propel an individual up to CEO level. It does, however, show an individual is serious about their profession, and the early adopters are making themselves more visible in the long term. In an interview situation, all other things being equal, the Chartered Marketer will always have the edge.

Personal qualities required to build a successful career in marketing include intelligence, integrity, enthusiasm, creativeness, and the stamina to cope with the challenges and demands arising from such a responsible role. There is, however, room for most types of ability, expertise and personality within the different specialist areas, which make up this generic career area known as marketing.

In fact the marketing mix incorporates a whole host of specialist disciplines including market research, product development, marketing planning and control, pricing, distribution, promotion (including advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion and public relations), selling and after sales service. These disciplines cover every sort of marketing and promotional activity that you can think of – from using the Internet for promoting goods and services, to planning events and exhibitions or developing good telephone and customer service skills.

For marketing, CIM is the Government Approved awarding body for qualifications (UK), the international benchmark for standards, and the body supporting lifelong career development linked to CPD and Chartered Status. The Moor Hall Headquarters is based at Cookham, near Maidenhead where Members and non-Members of the Institute have access to one of the largest Marketing libraries in Europe as well as residential, conference and training facilities. Visit the CIM e-centre web sites at www.cim.co.uk or www.connectedinmarketing.com for more information about membership, marketing qualifications and Chartered Marketer status, or email us at marketing@cim.co.uk